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Thursday, February 28, 2019

I had hoped to read more of my February ARCs, but things just were kind of BLAH and I ended up not reading much. But here are two books that you should absolutely pick up if you haven't already!

*****

Title: The Past and Other Things That Should Stay BuriedAuthor: Shaun David HutchinsonPublisher: Simon PulseRelease Date: February 19th, 2019!*eARC kindly provided by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing via NetGalley*Find it on Goodreads.

My Review!

Oof, this one got to me. IT'S VERY RUDE to read lines like, "it's not that I feel I have nothing to say, it's that what I have to say rarely feels valuable" and the conversations about grief, because of how uncanny it was that they resembled my feelings and life. But also this was such a bittersweet story focused on the friendship between the two main characters, Dino and July. It showed how complicated those relationships can be, but how full of joy and love they are. The two of them made many mistakes, fought when they should've been there to support and understand, but had this deeply-felt bond that not even death could destroy. July was actually a pretty unlikable person, but I felt for her, and I definitely think her tendency toward refusing to give people the real her was well-done, and she grew a lot in that short time. I thought this book was gonna get weirder, so I was pleasantly surprised with how the author dealt with July coming back to life. I also really liked all of the secondary characters, and if there's one thing I wished for, it was more of THEM. (But I get why it wasn't). And I liked how this didn't just revolve around fixing July's not-death, but about trying to figure out who you are and what you want out of life, and learning what it means to let go of someone you love. Super enjoyed!!

This was SUCH a good book! I wouldn't be surprised if people DNF just because it's pretty slow. Which doesn't necessarily mean I was bored, but that sometimes the world-building was Too Much. I wanted to learn everything I could about Phoenix Riders and the empires, though, it was just hard to keep everything straight. And anyway, I can see a lot of people getting bogged down in the details. But I really enjoyed the historical snippets, the conversations, the mystery behind what happened way back when. When two very different sisters started a war they couldn't end. I'm a SUCKER for sibling stories, especially if it involves sisters, and I loved how Crown of Feathers explored that kind of relationship. The push-and-pull, the hate and love, the way that sometimes family isn't enough, and trying to reconcile your feelings when the person you love is so toxic that you can't stand to be around them. But you still love them. Veronyka had to leave her sister just to figure out who she was and go after her dreams. I loved seeing her come into her own and fight for what she wanted. There was like no actual romance, but I see how they'll play out in the sequel, and I'm excited! I adored Nyk and Tristan and even Sev. I wasn't expecting 3 POVs, but it worked, and I'm so invested in their stories! I can't wait for more!

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

So, I saw this on Cait's blog and I wasn't tagged, but I decided WHY NOT. I love answering questions, especially bookish ones! I tried to find the original poster, but could not, so sadly I don't know who started it.

1. HOW MANY BOOKS ARE TOO MANY FOR A SERIES?

I think the sweet spot is trilogies. Most of my all-time favorite series are three books! I do like duologies a lot, but sometimes they can feel like too little and I want more. Quartets are good too! I think any longer and I start to feel less inclined to keep up with them. LOL

2. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT CLIFFHANGERS?

Oh god, like, I love/hate them? Sometimes it can be fun being wrenched around like that (don't ask me why, it just IS). And other times, I'm like FUCK YOU [INSERT AUTHOR HERE].

3. HARDCOVER OR PAPERBACK?

Paperback! I mean, hardcovers are pretty, but. MY WRISTS. Also I started buying PBs a lot because they were cheaper. I have a mix of both, and reading-wise, I prefer my kindle to either of them actually. But now, it's more about what cover I like best!

4. FAVORITE BOOK?

I'm sorry, just one? Unacceptable. Play On by Michelle Smith and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness for personal reasons. Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta because oh my goddd my heart.

5. LEAST FAVORITE BOOK?

Okay, so I have truly loathed some AWFUL books, but the one that takes the cake is Forbidden: Discover the Legend by Tina Smith. It was the literal worst I've ever read.

6. LOVE TRIANGLES, YES OR NO?

I don't mind them! IF they're well-done. It depends on the tropes, how the author writes the characters, how I feel about the characters... Excetera. Usually I end up shipping the endgame couple too, but ON A RARE OCCASION, I have been wrong. I especially love ones that flip the script (instead of the popular Nice Guy/Best Friend vs. Bad Boy trope).

7. THE MOST RECENT BOOK YOU COULDN’T FINISH?

Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn. I'd heard such good things about this series, and like, I wanted to read it at the time. But I haven't tried it again for awhile. I want to! But mood!

8. A BOOK YOU’RE CURRENTLY READING?

I'm reading Ivan by Kit Rocha for my series this month!

9. LAST BOOK YOU RECOMMENDED TO SOMEONE?

I was literally just talking with Rashika about Nora Robert's books. Because I am a huge fan, and she would like to start, but that woman has a truly mountainous backlist. So I rec'd the Sign of Seven series (paranormal romance), the Bride Quartet series for girl friendship feels, and I told her to someday give Morrigan's Cross a shot but we're both scared. The Circle Trilogy remains my genuine all-time favorite, and I want her to love it!

10. OLDEST BOOK YOU’VE READ BY PUBLICATION DATE?

Uhhh fuck, I definitely had to go to Goodreads for this one. According to my stats, the oldest I've read is Beowulf (which was published around 975). Followed by Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in 1390, and Beauty and the Beast in 1740. And some Shakespeare thrown in for good measure. :D

11. NEWEST BOOK YOU’VE READ BY PUBLICATION DATE?

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan! It doesn't come out until April, and it's bloody brilliant. Please all go and get yourselves a copy of this murdery, villainy Russian-inspired fantasy.

12. FAVORITE AUTHOR?

Again, choosing one is just unacceptable. I have a list: Nora Roberts, Melina Marchetta, Emery Lord, Roshani Chokshi, and Victoria Schwab.

13. BUYING BOOKS OR BORROWING BOOKS?

Buying, for sure! tbh, I'm one of the few bookworms who just doesn't really love going to the library anymore? Mine doesn't have a very diverse and big YA collection, and I've let my library card expire (the horror!), and I'd rather just not talk to people. LOL

14. A BOOK YOU DISLIKE THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO LOVE?

Recent-ish... The City of Brass *hides*

15. BOOKMARKS OR DOG EARS?

Bookmarks! I'm a huge collector and have probably hundreds, at this point. It's a Problem.

16. A BOOK YOU CAN ALWAYS RE-READ?

Two series: the Circle Trilogy by NR and the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta. Both of them just make me happy, even when they hurt me. Also Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, if we want to be accurate about just ONE book! HAHA.

17. CAN YOU READ WHILE LISTENING TO MUSIC?

Oh, I HAVE to! I can't stand reading in silence. I, however, cannot sing along and read at the same time. I've tried way too much, and it makes me lose focus on the story!

18. ONE POV OR MULTIPLE?

Honestly? Multi-POV. I love, love, love ensemble casts, especially when I can get inside more than one character's head. Also, since most books I read have love stories (whether because it's romance or just another part of the plot), I prefer it if I can have both of the main characters' feelings and thoughts on it.

19. DO YOU READ A BOOK IN ONE SITTING OR OVER MULTIPLE DAYS?

I actually rarely read in one sitting. But reading a book in a day? THAT, I can and do quite frequently. I don't think I'm that fast of a reader (a page a minute, depending on the pacing and my mood)? So it's not that I'm fast, I just don't do much else, tbh.

20. WHO DO YOU TAG?

Anyone who wants to do this! I don't like tagging specific people anymore. But this was fun, so I highly recommend.

How do you feel about series and POVs? Do you listen to music while you read? Do cliffhangers make you want to throw your books at walls? Let's talk! :)

This is definitely one of my top cities in the US that I really wanna visit! ALA Annual will be there in June, and I'm tentatively planning on going, so YAYYYY! Also, a bonus: this book takes place in Wales too.

2. Ireland

A TOP FIVE COUNTRY

3. Scotland

This is quickly becoming my #1 destination, and I would die to go there!

4. Seattle

I missed going when ALA midwinter was just there, but SOMEDAY!

5. Paris

Who can resist the City of Light???

6. Prague

Honestly, this book was the reason Prague made it on my travel list. The way Laini describes it makes me yearn to go there.

7. Italy

Even though this is mostly historical fiction, I'm counting it because the MC goes on a trip to Italy with her fam, and whoops accidentally time travels. 😂

8. Australia

This has ALWAYS been high on my destinations list. I HOPE to one day visit but so expensive!!!

9. San Francisco

I tried to keep off the same authors, but Stephanie did this series in so many different places THAT I WANT TO VISIT. Like Spain in Isla too!

10. England

I couldn't NOT put this country on my list. I have a strong need.What cities/countries are on YOUR bucket list? Have you been to any of these places yet? Let's talk! :)

It's SO BLUEEEE. And I'm super stoked for this book! I've followed Camryn for years online, and I've been waiting for this one for what feels like forever.Pub date: October 29th, 2019!*****

this is super cute! I'm not really a big fan of bees, but I like how it's such a big part of the book and cover. And I love the colors!Designed by: Laura GallantPub date: October 9th, 2019!*****

Gah, I LOVE THIS ONE! Shannon said it gave her mega-Lexa vibes (The 100), and I so agree, and now that's all I can see. Haha!Designed by: Kerri ResnickPub date: September 3rd, 2019!*****

omg this is CUTE! And I love that it's channeling How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes (and is inspired by that movie!) because that's one of my faaaves.Pub date: November 12th, 2019!I actually really like all of these covers! I think my favorite is Nocturna, but they're all so GOOD. Which ones do you like best? :)

Monday, February 18, 2019

From the Den is a feature to showcase the books that I don't post reviews for on the blog, whether I liked them or not. I read so many books that never make it onto The Fox's Hideaway, so I wanted a feature where I could still tell y'all about them. :)

*****

Welp, I had completely forgotten that I hadn't posted this yet! LOL. But to be fair, I didn't read a whole lot in January. And of what I read, more than half were either rereads or short stories. However, I did get to a few books that I'd wanted to read for awhile!

The Little Mermaid

I loved finally getting the chance to read these classic fairytales! It was interesting to see where some of the inspiration for things had come from, and how similar and different The Little Mermaid was to the Disney movie. I highly recommend these Minalima editions; they're so gorgeous and worth it!Rating: 4 Paw Prints!

Tikka Chance on Me

omg I really ADORED this!! Short, sweet, and sexy. With a nerdy guy and a take-charge girl. The characters were great, and even in the small amount of time that they spend together, you still believe in their relationship. I would gladly have read more of them!Rating: 4 Paw Prints!

Heartwood: Non-binary Tales of Sylvan Fantasy

Another Kickstarted anthology! I really enjoyed this. My favorites were The Beast in the Garden, Love Letters, In the Branches, In the Soil, Shepherd, Morel Support, The Lungs of Jeju, and Shuvah (Return). It was a really nice collection of pretty black-and-white graphics, inclusive casts, and a wide variety of stories.Rating: 3.5 stars!I didn't read as much as I'd hoped in January, but I really loved diving back into the Grisha series instead! What books did you read in January? Have you read any of these yet? Let's talk! :)

oh, this is CUTE!! I'd also never heard of this book before I saw the cover, and now I'm super interested in it. :DPub date: January 7th, 2020!*****

omfg this is ADORABLE. I love the colors and the little fat girl holding a cat. It's kind of simple, but I really like that!Pub date: October 1st, 2019!I really love the covers for I Can Make This Promise, A Kingdom for a Stage, and It's a Whole Spiel. Which ones are your favorite? :)

"I would come for you. I would come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together--knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting." I'M SOBBING THANKS

2. Moira and Cian

the future Queen of Geall and the vampire, they shouldn't work so well together, BUT THEY DO. and hate-to-love is my WEAKNESS.

3. Sadia and Jackson

Their romance was hot and passionate, and their friendship had created such a deep bond between them. I loved them so much *heart eyes*

4. Aileana and Kiaran

The warrior honed into a weapon against his kind and the faerie who's lived thousands of years. Every time he called her Kam, I fucking MELTED.

5. Blue and Gansey

BLUESEYYYYY

6. Tristan and Scarlet

These two were one of my FIRST favorite couples in books, and I still love them, and this series a lot. It doesn't hold up well nowadays, but I DON'T CARE.

7. Connor and Rose

These two are strong-willed, intelligent, and I loved watching them battle to come out on top. And I'm so glad they got to build their kingdom.

8. Alex and Henry

I feel like I'm cheating because it's not out yet, but WHATEVER, I just finished this book and if I don't include these two, then what the fuck am I doing? MY SONS.

9. Kell and Lila

The girl who should never have been able to cross worlds, and the traveler who helped her. Their banter KILLED me.

10. Mycroft and Watts

The boy genius and his partner, a girl who's his equal, his champion, and the one person who sees him for who he is. Gah, they're just perfect for each other.Bonus: literally every ship in the Lumatere Chronicles!Who are YOUR favorite couples in books? Would any of these OTPs have made your list? Let's talk! :)

Saturday, February 9, 2019

There were SO MANY covers revealed this week! So I didn't put all of them in this post. Simon & Schuster over on RivetedLit has their fall lineup, and Tor.com made a Twitter thread with a bunch of theirs. Check it all out!

*****

omg I love this one! I love that the trees are part of the words, and the colors, and the gold crescent moons. SO PRETTY!

OOOOOOH, I love the colors, and that Tristan is front and center, with his fists up after he's already punched that hole in the sky. :D can't wait for this book!

Designed by: Eric Wilkerson

Pub date: January 2020!

*****

omg I adore this one! And I'm super curious about the house at the heart of it. It gives me Hill House vibes, so I have a strong need.

Cover design and art: Jessie Gang and Garrigosa Studio

Pub date: September 10th, 2019!

*****

I love the colors, the giant sea turtle, the font, the girl's stance. this is so cute!!Cover design and lettering: Elizabeth H. Clark and Inkymole (Sarah J. Coleman)Pub date: September 3rd, 2019!*****

Oh, I very much adore this one! I love that green color A LOT, and the roses!Cover design and art by: Jenna Stempel-Lobell and La ScarlattePub date: November 5th, 2019!*****

cake. CAKE. CAAAAAKE. omg this cover is super adorable!!Illustrated and designed by: CW and ManaPub date: March 5th, 2019!*****

Ohhh, I REALLY like this one! The colors, the background, the DETAILS. yes.Pub date: November 12th, 2019!*****I ALSO really like this one. It's simplistic in nature, but I think that works. And I'm very intrigued by image here. Is it the same girl? Or two different ones reaching for each other? So interested!Pub date: November 5th, 2019!*****

I'm not a huge fan of this one. :(Cover design and photo: Krista Vossen and Ylva ErevallPub date: September 3rd, 2019!*****

HMM. I don't love this. It just doesn't super appeal to my tastes, HOWEVER, the book very much does and I can't wait to read it.Pub date: June 4th, 2019!*****

This is pretty eh, to be honest, especially considering how pretty the Raven Cycle covers are. And omg THIS BOOK. I'm like tentatively excited because I don't know if I'll love this, but RONAN. MY BOY.Pub date: November 5th, 2019!*****

This one is GORGEOUS. I love the colors, and the gold font, and how everything looks together. *heart eyes*Cover design and art by: Sarah Kaufman and Katt PhattPub date: September 3rd, 2019!*****

HMM. I like how the girl looks, but not much else about it? 😬Designed by: Jason ChanPub date: November 12th, 2019!*****

I actually really like this???? All my friends were like eh, haha, but something about it appeals to me a lot. And omg I'm super stoked for the book!Designed by: BellelisPub date: September 10th, 2019!*****

I don't think it's the best one in the series, but I've always liked how the covers are intertwined with all the different powers.Pub date: September 3rd, 2019!*****

Gah, this is PRETTY. And omg a villain origin story about the Evil Queen? yes fucking PLEASE.Pub date: June 25th, 2019!Woo boy, that was A LOT. Which covers are your favorite? I'm really partial to Winterwood, All the Impossible Things, and Serpent & Dove. 😁

hi, hello, welcome!

I'm Holly, the blogger behind The Fox's Hideaway. I love to read, write, play video games, and Netflix. I spend way too much time binge-watching TV shows I never finish, procrastinating life, and disappearing into the pages of a book for hours on end. I started this blog as a way to give myself a creative outlet for writing and talk books with people who "get" it. And it's since become one of the biggest passions I have, and it humbles me that you're here and reading this short little paragraph right now. I hope you'll stick around as I rant and rave and stumble through adulthood. :D

Want to find out more about me? Check out the "Who's the Fox?" tab! You can also find my blog button there as well. :)

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